


bundle of trouble

by mysterymistakes



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Meet-Cute, dog park
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:33:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28533732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysterymistakes/pseuds/mysterymistakes
Summary: Claude has to look after Hilda's dog for the weekend. There are some... unexpected consequences.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 5
Kudos: 98





	bundle of trouble

**Author's Note:**

> thank you kindly to the commissioner!

Claude is a man with few regrets. He takes things in stride; he deals the hands he’s dealt with grace and confidence. That being said—

“Princess, _NO!_ ”

—he’s going to kill Hilda. Her rat bastard little dog has taken it upon herself to go tearing across the park (which would have been fine, he brought her here to try to burn off some energy) and decided to _pee on the shoes of the only other person there._ Who, of course, because such is his luck, is the most handsome stranger Claude has ever seen. He’s scoped the guy out a couple times before in the fringe instances he’s accompanied Hilda here. Fully a head taller than Claude himself, with longish golden-blonde hair kept neatly in a little half-ponytail and dressed in a way that says _rich but approachable._ His closet seems an endless rotation of plush cable-knit sweaters and immaculately tailored jeans and leather sneakers. He has a very well behaved, immaculately groomed little white dog.

That Princess is currently barking at. _Fuck._

“I am so, so sorry!” Claude calls, running over as fast as he can. He tries to scoop up Princess as he passes by, but she zips off in a huge, careening arc around the small dog section. Claude makes the prudent decision to cut his losses. That dog is a basket case. “Are you alright? She didn’t get you, did she?”

“No, not at all.” _Oh, great._ Not only is he unreasonably attractive, but his voice is also buttery-smooth and perfect for all kinds of things Claude should not be thinking about in broad daylight. This is the first time Claude’s seen him so close. His eyes are a piercing, icy blue, and there’s a tiny scar that cuts down through the left edge of his lips. His lips, which are very pink, and smooth, and still moving. Uh-oh. “Sorry?”

“Is that your dog?” Claude barks out a laugh that’s maybe just a bit too bitter.

“That obvious, huh? No, she’s my roommate’s dog. I’m watching her while she’s away visiting family.” He lets out a deep sigh. “Hilda brings her here every so often, so I thought, why not, but I can’t say I expected her to do that. Please, accept my apologies. Again.” The handsome stranger laughs. It’s deep and throaty and Claude can feel a flush burning hot on the tips of his ears. He’s never been more grateful for a hat.

“She’s a chihuahua, right?” Claude nods.

“Yeah. She’s a doll when Hilda’s around, but the instant she’s gone…” He sighs. “Maybe I just don’t know enough about dogs.”

“No, I don’t think so. Chihuahuas usually attach themselves to one person and become terribly hard to manage for anyone else. Many toy breeds tend to do that.” He looks fondly down at his own dog, who is sat placidly at his feet. “Patience is key, but it’s a lot harder than people give it credit for.” Claude nods. At the other end of the enclosure, someone with a fluffy dog opens the gate and sends Princess sprinting back towards Claude. He braces himself for another catastrophe, but to his absolute astonishment, she only barks once (at Claude) and sits primly next to the stranger’s little white dog. And then, by the grace of God, she lets this stranger pet her. His hands are big enough that they almost entirely cover her body.

“Huh,” Claude says, because that’s about all he can manage. “How, uh, how did you do that?” The stranger shrugs. From where he’s bent over, the shrug hikes his sweater up just enough so that Claude can get a direct view of the dimples at the base of his spine. _I really need to get out more._ He can’t help but be a little sad when his new acquaintance stands back up and the sweater goes down again. Princess is staring at Claude. He didn’t know dogs could give thank-me-later looks.

“Well, it may sound a bit, ah, silly,” he reaches that big hand up to rub nervously at the back of his neck, “but dogs are quite attuned to how the people around them feel towards them, or so I think. So, if you just, sort of, think good thoughts about them and don’t move very suddenly, most dogs will be amenable towards you.”

“You seem to know a lot about dogs.” Claude feels like an idiot stating something so deeply obvious, but it makes the handsome guy smile as he nods.

“My family sponsors a lot of show dogs, and I was a handler for a period of time. Isabelle here used to be a prize-winning showgirl, but I like to think she’s happier at home with me.” His dog—Isabelle—wags her tail politely.

“She’s very cute,” Claude offers. Isabelle trots over to him and sits at his feet, still wagging her tail. She has a little bow. He crouches down and offers a hand to her, palm-up, and she bumps her wet nose against it.

“I would hope so. It would be a shame if a shish-tzu wasn’t cute. You can pet her, if you’d like.” Claude sees him shift nervously from one foot to another out of the corner of his vision. “Ah, my name is Dimitri, by the way. Do you mind if I ask yours?” _Dimitri,_ Claude thinks. Finally, a name for the face. He stands and holds his hand out to shake—it still has a wet spot from Isabelle’s nose on it.

“Well, Dimitri, it is very nice to meet you. My name is Claude.” Dimitri’s hand is warm and firm and Claude feels the flush he’d been fighting so nobly to stave off make a grand appearance on his cheeks. Dimitri, still holding Claude’s hand, lightly clears his throat. He looks almost bashful. It’s _adorable._

“Claude,” he says, like he’s trying out the name on his tongue and it takes all of Claude’s worldly willpower to suppress a damning shiver, “would you perhaps like to get some coffee with me? There’s a place not too far from here that allows dogs at their outdoor seating, and it has a lovely view of a little creek.” Claude smiles. Isabelle wags her tail. Princess lets out one excited bark.

“Why, Dimitri, that would be lovely.”

**Author's Note:**

> thanks again to the commissioner!
> 
> i can be found on [twitter](https://twitter.com/mysterymistakes).


End file.
